According to the dictionary, going on a date is a social event and does not have to be romantic.
This is how I found myself, last Saturday, on a date with my 25 years old daughter – will call her Jane – and 26 years old young women, an adopted daughter/friend that I met in Seattle – will call her Lori. Lori just had her first child and is not going out by herself or with her hubby so much anymore. Jane, on the other hand, is a burlesque performer, a volunteer in the Youth LGBTQ community and goes out a lot.
Although we all have partners in life, we decided that this is a Girls’ Night only. The decision made the situation a little weird, as Jane’s fiancée is a woman. We changed it to Hebrew Girls Night Out – which means that you need to be a girl and speak Hebrew to be part of the scene.
Lori was born and raised in Israel and has been in Seattle for a few years. Jane was born in Israel and was raised half of her life in Montreal and the other half in Seattle. Her Hebrew is amazing, as her mother — me — had “language fights” with her while growing up. This means, that at home Jane and her sibling had to speak in Hebrew, otherwise they were not listened to. A lot of fights took place, as both girls hated the idea and struggled with the language. But today, at the age of 25 and after a year of volunteering in Israel, Jane is fluent in Hebrew and this is our secret language. How cool is that?
Jane, Lori and I have a very special relationship that started two years ago, when we all met in a monthly Shabbat dinner in our local Beit Chabad and fell in love. The fact that I have friends, in my kids’ age, makes me always smile and feel very proud. This is one of my biggest achievements in life!
What do I mean by that? I was born to a very rigid family, which means that the parents are up there in the hierarchy and communication and relationships are identified by fear and respect. Those two things go together and do not disappear when you grow up. You might find yourself having a glass of wine with your father and mother on a family dinner event, but you will not ask your mother to join you out, with your friends for a drink.
I always wanted to be different from them, when it came to family relationships. When I had my kids, I decided to do everything I can to be a good parent but at the same time have a friendship level, that is out of my parental role.
I always talked to them like a mature person, even before they started talking. I would walk around the house in the middle of the night, with Jane in my arms as an infant, telling her that she has to go to sleep. We used to stand and look out of the window to a dark street and I would say: “The trees went to sleep, the cars went to sleep and the cockroaches went to sleep, now Jane has to go to sleep as well.” I know, awful, but it was summer and the cockroaches were part of our life in that humid hot weather. Jane was 4 months old and when the summer ended, I stopped using these sentences and moved to books and songs.
One night, a couple of years later, when Jane was about two and a half years old and a good talker for her age, I tacked her in bed and heard her talking to herself: “The trees went to sleep, the cars went to sleep and the cockroaches went to sleep, now Jane has to go to sleep as well.”
OMG… right? I left the room cracking up. But besides the laughter, I realized that it worked! All the time that I was talking to her and treating her like a real person who understands, were indeed imprinted in her mind.
I was always the mother but I was also human, shared my feelings when I was sad and upset and made sure that my girls are part of the healing processes in my life. The discussion was always adapted to their age and level of maturity, but it was there. If they wanted to say or share something, they knew they could do it with me, and things only got better with the years. Even in their teens – most of the time – we had a good communication going between us and I knew a lot of things that other parents would kill to know … or would kill themselves if they knew? I just listened and tried to be quiet – unless I was asked for advice.
Going out clubbing with Jane and Lori was one of the best evenings I had lately. We laughed a lot, ate a little, danced as much as we could and skipped between clubs and bars. I wish more parents will take the time to go on a date with their kids – that’s a higher level of parenthood for me and so much fun!
If you have kids that are old enough to drive themselves, tell us what did you do lately with your kids for fun?
Completely; yes; very much are the answers from 95% of the
people, when you ask them about online dating.
Some of the people drop online dating and choose to go
organically. I have to admit that this always makes me smile… Sounds like going
Vegan. I tell them that at home I’m Vegan but outside of the house I eat
whatever I want – food is not a religion for me. Why can’t it be the same in
dating? Online dating is just another way, option, to get to what you want –
you can have it all. If it is a life partner, a causal relationship or you name
your combination, there is more than one way to get there.
I agree online dating can be very hard, but I also think
that many people take it too seriously too soon in the game. It is all about
your attitude.
What do I mean?
Beth is looking to start a family. She is in her late
twenties and every date is a promise for a future husband and a father for her
dream kids. Yep, very high expectations and she is just texing. Beth, before
every date, gets anxious and loses her cool vibe. Beth is online dating for the
last three years and doesn’t understand why it is not working for her.
There are a few ways to make online dating a fun experience
without getting upset or depressed.
You started texting and then it is a fun conversation? The
person on the other side seems interesting and you would like to know more?
There is nothing like a face to face meeting to see where it goes – and it
should happen quickly. For those who are looking for rules: three to four days
of texting are more than enough. Go out and meet – what’s the worst thing that
can happen?
I mentioned “Too Seriously” – for example, somebody ghosted
you after a few days of great texting. It hurts a little, but… wait! They don’t
really know you and you don’t really know them. So don’t take it so seriously
and go and listen to “Thank you next.“
Shopping lists vs. Values. Open your mind and your dating profile
to different people. You can never know who will you meet. At the same time,
make sure your values are clear. Values are specific beliefs about what is
important and unimportant, good and bad, right and wrong
Example, I believe
that it is wrong for a man, in his early fifties, not to have a steady job and
live in his parents’ mother in law unit, while saving money for his next
tattoo. I know, my values are weird.
Once I allowed myself to open my mind, identify and stick to
my values but not to my shopping list, I met some interesting people. The
truth, first glance in their online profile picture did not spark much of an
interest and they didn’t look visually “my type,” but meeting them face to face
and walking around Greenlane together, suddenly presented them in a different
light. I enjoyed a lovely time and with a few of them also an LTR.
Give a brownie point to someone who took the time and filled
out their profile information and their pictures are up to date. A blank
profile says something about the person behind it – serious it is not.
And last but not least – if you open up your app and what
comes to your mind is: “Oy Vey” you might need some time off from online
dating. Go do things you love, new things you never did before, join a meetup
of fun people that share the same interests that you do – try go organically,
put yourself out there physically.
One thing to remember – online dating is like a
bazaar. Things change all the time and people come and go from different
reasons. Make sure you find the app that works for you and you feel comfortable
with – Tinder vs. Bumble for example. Some apps do not let you write a long
profile and others do. My favorite app, OK Cupid, also asks you a ton of
questions. Try and see what works better for you and remember all the time:
don’t take it seriously. Go out and have fun first of all.
Last week, after one of the storytelling shows I performed
in, I stood next to a table presenting Around
Seattle in 80 Dates, when a woman approached me. The name of the show by
the way was: Bad Date
Storytelling.
I never met this woman before but she was very determined to
let me know what she thought about my performance, “You are Amazing, but this
is not for me,” Kate said.
“What exactly is not for you,” I asked her. Kate was in her
late 40’s – the smart type, never married. She had a nice smile and round
glasses. Kate explained to me, that she wants to find her life partner
organically. Why did I think about a carrot right away? I don’t know.
By Dating Organically Kate meant that she wants to be lucky
and find her prince by accident. I asked her if fender bender counts.
She didn’t smile. Kate loves to read books and her organic story sounded like
that: Kate used to visit a local book store next to her rented room in downtown
Seattle. One day, this handsomest dark man will walk into the store. He will
see her and immediately approach her. They will start talking about books and will
find out they have the same taste in books, music and so much more.
Kate kept talking for a few more minutes, but my mind was
already in a different place – Dating Organically? I heard about it but it
never happened to me. Every time I meet a couple, I ask them how they met. When
I meet couples that met organically, not online and not a set date, I hug them
and say: You are Soooooo Lucky. And by luck, I mean: you were in the right
place on the right time with the same needs. And then I think to myself: how
rare is that!?
Reading the post AU
NATURALE: WHY MEETING SOMEONE ORGANICALLY IS THE BEST WAY made me want to
do the same to the writer of the post – hug the author. By the way, the person
that wrote the post does not sound very lucky or reports any success with their
decision to date organically.
There are options out there,
one that I love is meetup.com. Find a group that you are interested in their
meetings and join. This handsomest guy/amazing woman just might be there as
well, or not.
Going organically sounds
great and very romantic but not a practical solution in my eyes. It is for sure
an option, but I would still use the online options that are in place.
True, many first dates are
not followed by second dates and I think that this is just fine. The idea that your
prince is the next date and both of you will figure it out in an hour is a
beautiful and romantic idea, which I remember I had when I was in my early twenties.
But hey, I am not anymore and there are some benefits in being in your early 50’s.
I feel wiser.
If you are an English
speaker, I bet you heard the phrase “Mazal Tov” – which literally
means, good luck. Mazal Tov is a greeting used by Jews all over the world and
became part of the English language. The phrase is in Hebrew, The word “MAZAL” in
Hebrew means “Luck” in English.
The Kabballah talks about
the fact that MAZAL is an acronym for:
M = In Hebrew – Makom; In English
= Place
Z = In Hebrew – Zman; In English
= Time
L = In Hebrew stands for Limud;
In English = Study, experience, what you have learned and made you who you are today.
So, to be lucky in life,
according to the Kabballah, you have to be in the Right Place, in the Right Time
with the Real you – that is who you are in life today thanks to everything you
went through, college, relationships, life – you are a total of your experience.
You need to be out there so you can get lucky. You know what I mean.
Organically meeting people
is nice, but might be a complete waste of time. Also – limitation people!!! Not
at work and not with your best friend’s ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend, unless you
want an ex-best boyfriend/ girlfriend. Just saying.
Go build a great profile,
take a few good pictures WITHOUT A FILTER, and write 15 lines about yourself
and what interests you in life. KISS – Keep It Simple Sweetheart.
Leave something to talk about
and just enjoy the ride! It might not be your next partner but you just might
meet a fun person and discover the best martini in town! Attitude, attitude, attitude.
Cheers, and I hope you do
choose to enjoy the ride. All the rest comes organically.
To all of you who were expecting Renata’s blog this week-
this is Mike#80! Yes, I am the lucky guy, who eventually won her heart. Renata
asked me to fill in for her this time and write our lives from my perspective,
to show a male perspective and come up with a subject I want to share with her
readers. Well, at our book tour there is always this question I am being asked…
The readers of
“Around Seattle in 80 Dates” want to know how does a man and husband feel when
reading or hearing stories about his wife’s former boyfriends…
It is a very good
question- how do I actually feel about it? As a regular red-blooded American
man, my first reaction is of jealousy. It is not easy to imagine my wife with
someone else and of course my mind is running in overdrive imagining all the
details, comparing myself to all those interesting guys. After all I’m not in
charge of some major security, nor am I a former Marine general… And yes, there
were also sexy details in the book, hot dates. Difficult to measure up when a
daily life takes its toll and I am 55+! Even this + is slowly turning into ++…
So yes, it is not easy to be married to a gorgeous woman who was and still is
very popular, outgoing, sexy, who does have an impact on many men we run
into. It is a familiar occurrence, when
we go out, that guys stop, talk to her, hug her. Once, we were at a popular
Seattle club, a guy approached us, kneed in front of me and commenced to kiss
my hand congratulating me for being married to this extraordinary woman! Mixed feelings
to say at least…
How do I handle it
as a man and husband? Well I have two choices: I can succumb to my jealousy, be
insecure about it and suggest to Renata to step back. Knowing her she would.
Our marriage and I are very important to her and she would not have a problem
to oblige me. But then, what is my role as a husband, man and lover? Is it just
the protection of my feelings or is it also to make sure that the woman of my
life is happy and fulfilled and what is the emotional cost of such an action? I
believe what it really boils down to is how comfortable are you in your
marriage and also, how comfortable are you in your own skin… If you are comfortable and trustful enough,
then, I suggest, you step back and enjoy the ride and let the woman of your
life be herself.
It is important
for me to realize, that it is me Renata choose from her 80 dates and it is me
she wants to share her life with. Such
realization really changed a lot in my life. Now I really can have a lot of fun
going out and seeing her popularity with people! I can also see how happy she
is being able to be herself, to go out and just have fun. This threat of her
character was, after all, one of the main reasons I choose her over other
women. There is also an additional benefit to letting Renata be Renata- after a
fun night out with friends we go home together…
The first thing I learned in the dating world was that people
can disappear. And then I learned it has a name: Ghosting.
It is easy to connect and meet new people these days, but it
is also very easy to disappear and avoid any further communication. Ghosting
became a norm and is being used very freely. It is just easy to swipe left
after a few days of chat when you think that the other person said something
that you don’t like and you cannot live with it. Instead of clarifying of what
just happened, as a text can sometimes go wrong, or just saying: “Thank you,
but I don’t think there is a match.” Left swipe and you are done – no need to
type an apology or an explanation.
Yes, there must be something good in it as well, right?
There is something good in everything. Let’s try this: the fact that you don’t
need to explain makes you powerful and invisible – maybe less vulnerable one
would say? This all might be somehow true when you are still on the online
dating site and no face to face connection was made yet.
What happens if you have seen each other a few times already
and she does not answer your text messages – you already sent two and left a
voice message? “Maybe something happened to him,” you think to yourself, and
keep waiting for him to answer a week later.
I find it very not mature and as a person insulting. If you don’t
think that this is a match, why won’t you say so? We are all adults and as such
should be able to communicate clearly. This, by the way, can bring both sides
to a great discussion. I once said to a man after a date, that I don’t think it
will work out. He was intelligent and confident enough to turn around to me and
ask: Why? He really wanted to know. I explained to him that I don’t think that
we have much to talk about as he was a very quiet person. What he said at that
moment got me to take a step back – it was his first date after he lost his
wife a year ago and he was nervous. He didn’t share this info before and a real
discussion started from that moment.
If this was not bad enough, we now have Ghosting 2.0 – someone
who ghosted you for a long time, suddenly appears in your life again. A text, a
Like on FB, as you are still friends there, right? The amazing thing in all of
that? The ghosting person acts like nothing ever happened. No apologies, no explanations
for all that time they vanished – they are just back into your life.
All of this, of course, happens not only in the dating scene
– but when it comes to dating it touches different nerves.
“What did I say wrong? Did I do something wrong? Why does it
always happen to me?”
Well, let’s start by saying that it does not happen only to
you, the dating world and especially the online dating part of it adopted these
awful not mature or respectful behaviors and when dating in a wiser age, after
a long relationship, it is very confusing and disheartening.
The millennials identify few more behaviors as the Toxic
New Dating Trends of 2019. I found it interesting and can relate to some
new trends mentioned there.
So, how to deal with it?
Here is how I feel about it: it is not ok to play with your mind, time and feelings and the best thing will be to identify it and stop it asap.
I had very strict rules when it came to ghosting. I made
sure to give the other side a grace period, there might be a good reason for
why you didn’t answer my text messages, FB message and voice mail that I left to
make sure you are ok.
At this point I would unfriend the person from my FB account
and if needed also block the number on my phone. I had no interest to have
people like these in my life.
Make sure that the people in your life are there for you as
you are there for them. It is a relationship and not a highway ride.
It all started a little more than a year ago, Feb 2018 when Around Seattle in 80 Dates was published and my story became public.
A lot of people around me were involved in my life when I was living the stories. When I finally published the book many of them were surprised. I met a lot of people that had good stories and many of them declared on a regular basis, that “one day they will write a book”. They just “have to” and they are planning to. But it is hard to start – and finish.
When I was laid off from a company that I was employed with for fifteen years Mike #80 said: “That’s it, the universe is telling you something.” I had a bitter smile on my face when he said it. A lot of dreams were crashed the day I was laid off.
At that point in time, I was about to relocate to India for three
years and Mike #80 agreed to join me. This meant that he had to quit a job that
he loved very much and take the risk of relocating to a country that his professional
future is not clear. India is not the best place for a blood bank technologist.
But we were in love, living in India was a dream that we both had before we met
and we decided that this is our chance. What will be will be – we are doing it.
Being laid off and losing the relocation dream was not an
easy pill to swallow. The universe could have been nicer to me and my bank
account. I still had to pay a mortgage.
“The universe is giving you the time to finish your book,”
said Mike #80. Mike loved the stories I told him and kept saying that I should
share them with more people – “so they can learn” he said. Everybody around us
was online dating and we were a couple that ‘made it!’ We met online and our
life changed.
Mike is a smart man, so I decided he is right – this is my
chance to finish the book that I’m talking about for a year now.
Between job hunts, which is a full job by itself, I managed
to sit down and write. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. The writing was natural
and kept flowing. Mike used to come home, sit down and read what I wrote that
day – he was and is the first person to read anything that I write and I take
his feedback very seriously.
February 2018 – we were on a cruise to Havana when the book was
finally published – which means it was available on Amazon. And then things started
to happen. Standup comedy shows, storytelling events, meetups for singles all
over Great Seattle, authors’ events, interviews, articles, and podcasts.
Do you think it was tough to write the book? You are right.
It was hard, stimulating and emotionally challenging. I wanted to get through
with a clear message to the people out there about dating: “You can do things
differently and enjoy them. It works!” I also wanted to share stories with my
own voice and have people enjoy reading a good book. And the feedbacks were
amazing.
When I was approached by Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island I could not believe my good luck. I was offered a time slot, as part of the amazing and diverse shows that JCC is hosting.
Me? My own show? Where people pay money to see me? That was a crazy and tempting idea. I love challenges and this was a huge one – plan and execute a one-woman show all by myself. Oh, and then make sure that enough people are interested to come to see it and pay for a ticket.
Last Sunday – April 28th – is where a new achievement
was made.
The show was SOLD OUT almost a week in advance!
I took the One Woman show and created a family show. My daughter and her soon to be wife started the event by playing and singing their own version to: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” I continued with a short standup act that I wrote and from there we followed with an interview led by Paul Currington. Paul is a dear friend and also one of the major contributors to the storytelling world in Seattle. We met when I told my first story – 5 years ago – in his very successful storytelling meetup, Fresh Ground Stories – not less than a hundred people in each event, amazing crowd and all true stories. Love this man.
The fact that Mike #80 joined the final discussion and shared
his own experience with the audience was the best way to end the show – I could
not ask for more. Nobody wanted to go home, and two hours later we were kicked
out of the room. Sigh. It was a wonderful event.
As I said – I will
never forget April 28th, 2019. I shared one of my best moments in
life on the same stage with the people who are my family and friends. They all provided
their voice and together created a unique and interesting show that everybody
in the room was fascinated and involved. I loved it!
I know, what’s next you are asking… what’s the next mountain
you are going to climb?
I can only promise you that I’m working on a few new ideas and the most important one is a Screen Play! Around Seattle in 80 Dates should be on TV – this is how I feel.
